Google My Business is a free tool provided by Google to help manage your online presence. It can be used by business, brands, artists and organisations, and allows you to verify and edit your business information to help customers find you.
A Google My Business profile is essential for Local SEO – verifying your listing will enable you to appear in local search results for queries specific to your products and services in your geographic location. If you search on a mobile device (which for some industries is greater than 50% of searches!) you now have to scroll down to see the organic results – the first results shown are the top 3 Google local results.
Most search engine results for local queries now display a map – without a Google My Business listing your business won’t appear on the map!
A few tips for your Google My Business listing:
- Search for your business in Google, and if you haven’t yet Claimed your listing, you’ll see the “Own this business?” link
- Make sure the phone number you list is a local number, and that it matches the number on your website
- Use your actual business name, ensuring it is the same as on your website
- ALL your business listings on Directory Sites should have the same NAP data (that’s Name, Address, Phone)
- Choose relevant categories for your listing
- Double check your Opening Hours, and keep this section up to date
- Submit relevant business images, and consider refreshing them regularly
- Choose an image and logo that will make your listing stand out
- Encourage local reviews and social checkins from your customers.
